God Provides For Israel (MP 46)

Israel’s high praise for God did not long last;
For three days without fresh water they marched;
Grumbling grew greater the greater they parched,
“We had plenty of water in the past!”
Bitter-tasting water God led them to;
The people cried for water that was good;
God showed Moses a certain piece of wood;
When placed in the water, it sweetened through!
God told them, “Listen sharp to all I say:
Do right in my eyes; obey my commands;
Keep all my decrees; you’re safe in my hands,
For I am the Lord, who shows you the way!”
He led them to a place of twelve springs,
Seventy palm trees, and other good things!

Scripture Quoted: Exodus 15:19-24 (NIV)
“When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through on dry ground. Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing. … Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. … So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, ‘What are we to drink?’ “

Commentary on: God Provides For Israel
The Israelites had a great celebration of singing praises to God and dancing on the eastern shore of the Red Sea after God drowned the pursuing Egyptians and let them cross on dry ground. Moses’ and Aaron’s sister Miriam led the women in a dance of thanksgiving. When they moved off from the sea, it was a different story—they plunged into the desert and trekked for three days without finding fresh water. The complaints to Moses and God cranked up again. We will find that Israel was made up of obstreperous people who were quick to find fault with those that did the most for them.

God knew how they would turn from Him time after time before He chose Israel’s forefathers—Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, yet He repeatedly blessed them and provided for all their needs. You recall that He led them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. He was constant with this blessing the entire forty years of their wandering. God provided a piece of wood at Marah to sweeten the water so that they could drink it. Finding water in the desert was a big problem, but God kept them supplied. In Exodus 17 He told Moses to strike a rock with his staff and water gushed out.

God provided bread from heaven. Thin white wafers called “manna” lay on the ground every morning; there were two full quarts a day for each person. It was gathered every morning and consumed during the day or disposed of, except on Friday twice as much fell, for Saturday was the Sabbath, a day of rest. In the evening, doves fell to the ground all over their camp, which supplied their meat.

In those days it was impossible for two million people carrying gold and other valuables and huge numbers of livestock to migrate across territory occupied by many tribes without having to fight their way. The first group to attack Israel was the Amalekites very soon in their journey. Moses appointed Joshua as commander of Israel’s fighting forces. Joshua and his chosen men went out to meet the attackers, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went up to the top of a mountain overlooking the battleground, Moses stretched both arms up to God—as long as his arms were raised, the Israelites were winning, but when they were lowered to rest, they began losing. So Aaron and Hur placed a stone for Moses to sit upon; one stood on one side and held up Moses’ arm; the other stood on the other side and held the other arm up. His arms were raised all day, and God gave Israel the victory. In everything that God did on behalf of Israel, He tried to accentuate to the people their complete dependence upon Him. If you observe mankind in the 21st century, you will quickly see that none of the governments look to God for His assistance in war or in keeping the peace, and very few people and institutions depend upon God for success either. Although God knew in advance mankind in general would never trust their safety or success to Him, nevertheless He showed us in many ways the importance of depending on Him rather than upon man’s own ingenuity and resources. His complete provision for Israel was essential for their safety and success. Our United States of America founding fathers launched this nation under God and tried to impress upon the consciences of its future citizens the importance of our dependence upon God. However, our current President Obama seems to be trying to remove us from dependence upon God. Bad for our safety and success.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)